Infusion apparatus



June 4, 1946.

J. A. vARNE-Y T AL INFUSION APPARATUS Filed My-29, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l HA AR/s, /f/.fchg Fo: rf@ d HA @m5 A r To RM: Ks.

yJun 4,1946. A VANEY ETAL 2,401,529

INFUSION APPARATUS Filed May 29, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 4, '1946 J. A. VARNEY Eme. Z@

NFUSIN APPARATUS Filed May 29, 1940 SheeS-Sheet 5 ,q T To WAS Hf.

* Patented-June '4, 19476A y 2,401,529 INFUsIoN APPARATUS l i .lustinArnold Varney, Fred M. Varney,'and goixge Hannan Van Brunt, Los Angeles,

I 'Application May 29, 1940,- seriaiNo. 337.880V

Our invention relates `to infusion devices in general, and more particularly is directed' to apparatus for making liquid extracts from coiee beans, tea leaves, and thelike.` Y

Certain :advantages inherent in our invention".4 -are of special importance in coileebrewing and lead us to conilne the present vdisclosure to a coffee brewing apparatus.l Those skilled. in the art, however, will appreciate the fact that the invention is broadly applicable to infusion processes and sufllcient guidance-,Will be found herein for adaptingthe invention to other coifee'brewing.

Flavor in brewed coffee is a subtle evanescent property, andthe most i desirable brew is -to be achieved only by aprocedur'e that correctly takesinto 'account a number of critical factors. The

temperature of the water must be highvr enough for eilicient extraction of desirable constituents,

but not so high asto extract significant quantities of certain undesirable constituents. Extraction purposes than agitating .the liquid body during the infusion" methods, results in 'strong full-bodied `ilavor in the initial portion of liquid filtered. However, as V lteringf continues, the' characterof the liquid Vpassing from the bed of grounds changes progressively toward a weaker brew containing undesirable constituents, with theend result that the infusion is aV mixture of inferior extractions. A, l

It is' believed'that brewing that'is effective enough toextract the required ingredients and yet mild enough to produce good flavor requires intimate contact oi' the whole body of liquid with the .ground coffee throughout the whole of the brewing period, so that the concentration of the entire brew rises' progressively and uniformly throughout. the infusion period to optimumstrength. Itis further believed thatstirring or lperiodic cause intimatefand uniform liquid conat a temperature range'fromlto 205 is con-l sidered desirable'. Infusion at a temperature below 185 resultsfin inefiicient'extraction: and in-v fusion at temperatures above 205-results in release of undesirable constituents such as tannic acid, bitter oils, etc. Y

'I 'he duration 4of the brewing operation is a further important consideration. Infusion is continuous throughout the period during which solids and liquids are in contact,'but, the'chars acter of .elements released changes throughout that period.; During the initial three to four minutes desirable constituentsvare released, but

extraction beyond 'that period results. inthe release of undesirable elements. Closely related to tact with the ground coil'ee lcontributes favorably i to the navor of the final brew.

The general object vof our invention is-to provide an apparatus in accord with the above considerations. It is ourpurpose to provide means that'may be manipulated. without anyspecialized skill and yet offer close control of the. brewing procedure and make. easily possible uniformresults in successive performances of the apparatus. More specifically, our object isto' insure brewing 'coiee in the optimum temperature range under they'most favorable extractionv conditions .x for an optimum infusion period and 'te provide for eilicient and rapid separation of Vthe brew from the ground con'e'e at the end of the optimum this consideration is thefact that `the brewing 'interval must be abruptly terminated and the in'- fusion isolated from. the coffee grounds' im l mediatelythereafter. .In an ideal process com- 'plete isolation of the infusion from the ,coilee Y grounds and dregs would occur instantly and precisely at the optimum moment.

Also important in coffee brewing is' the manner in which intimate contact'and mixture of the 'period l In our preferred form of apparatus for per-v forming our method, we contemplate brewing -the coffee ina container accessible for stirring and then at theproper time isolating. the infusion by creating a partial vacuum to draw the liquid u'pward away from thegrounds through a :filter to a suitable reservoir.

Several objects in mind relate to the construction of such an apparatus.. One of these objects liquid withv the ground coffee is achieved.' Con.

tinuous cycling of the liquid through the coiiee grounds in the well known pump-.percolating method, vaside from the .disadvantage of the inv -evitable high temperature, is undesirable in thatv because of channeling the percolating stream of' liquid is concentrated on a portion of the coffee grounds with severe extraction effect. Progressive transition' of `a liquid body through a bed of coil'ee grounds, as in c onveiantional drip"illter is to provide means to-develop the required vacuumto a highly eilective degree with rapidity and to causel the liquid to be isolated with corresponding rapidity. Another. object is to provide an eililcient and highly 4convenient 4fllter arrangement 'in the apparatus. A further object. is to provide an apparatus that makes it possible to reduce the required procedureto simple steps inlvolvinA minimum manipulation but without loss of control over the essential faotors'in the process.

Additionally, we contemplate apparatus that isin j the good and the Y itself of relatively simple'constructlon, inexpensive to manufacture, sturdy and easy to clean. The above and other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent in the following description, considered with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, which are to be taken as illustrative only:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of onel form of our apparatus, a portion of the apparatus being shown in section;

Figs. 2 to 5 show diagrammatically the disposition of the apparatus at successive stages in the coffee making process;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a flask combination used in the apparatus of Fig. 1, being partly broken away for clarity;

Fig. '1 is a transverse section taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;l

Fig. 8 is a lfragmentary 'section taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken as indicated, by the line 9-9 of Fig. 6;

Fig. l is a perspective view of a combined shield and filter unit employed in this form of our invention; and

Figs. 11 and 12 are fragmentary sectional views showing alternate forms of filter units that may be employed in the practice of our invention.

` Fig. l shows a brewing receptacle or bowl generally designated 2|) that is preferably relatively wide to hold a substantial volume of liquid at a moderate liquid depth. Inserted in the bowl 20 is a flask generally designated 2| having a body 22 and a neck 23, the flask by preference being made of some heat-resistant glass. A cylindrical lter unit generally designated 24 may be removably mounted on the neck 23. The description of the flask 2| and accessory elements that comprise with the flask what may be termed a flask combination may best be approached by referring first to the fundamental steps of the process for which the flask is designed.

In the first step of the preferred practice of our invention illustrated by Fig. 2, a measured quantity of ground coffee 25 is placed in the brewing receptacle 20 and a measured volume of water is placed in the flask 2|, the liquid level in the flask being, for example, as indicated by the dotted line 26. Fig. 2 shows the flask 2| on a hot plate or burner 21 of a stove 28, the brewing receptacle 20 being on a nearby unhe'ated surface of the stove. After the water in the flask 2| becomes heated to the desired temperature, the flask is elevated -and tipped as indicated in Fig. 3 to pour a brewing volume of the heated water into the receptacle 20, the resultant liquid level being as indicated by the dotted line 3|). At the tilted position of the flask shown in Fig. 3 a residual volume of the heated water remains in the body of' the flask, the level of tne residual liquid being at the dotted line 3|.

During the next step of the process the flask' 2|- is back on the burner or hot plate 2l and is equipped with the filter unit 24. The level of the residual liquid is indicated by the dotted line 32, and infusion is taking place in the brewing receptacle 2li. Preferably the operator stirs-the contents ofthe receptacle 20 at the beginning of the brewing period to insure complete mixture. Steam engendered by the heating of the residual liquid in the flask to the boiling point largely displaces air from the flask, and near the end of is removed from the burner 21 and inverted in the flask 2| `and the filter the brewing receptaclej, the neck of the flask the body 22 ofthe inverted ask, the-coffee grounds and dregs being held back by the filter unit. The immersion of the askin the brew is timed to cause thetransfer of the liquid infusion from the brewing receptacle to the flask at the end of whatever brewing interval is elected. After the transfer of the infusion the inverted flask istaken from the brewing receptaclegplacedin upright position and freed of the filter unit, the flask thereafter serving as a container'and pouring device for the finished coffee.

In accord with'the described process, 'certain features are to be desired in the construction of unit 24. The body 22 should bulge rather abruptly at the base of the neck 23 to cause the required Volume of residual liquid to be Fig. 3. The body should be relatively large .to present a relatively large radiation surface, thereby to favor rapidcondensation when the flask is inverted and correspondingly rapid transfer of the infusion from the brewing receptacle to the flask. 'I'he neck 23 should be relatively long to space the body of the inverted flask above the liquid level 33 of Fig. 5 thereby to minimize heat transfer from the liquid in the brewing lreceptacle'to the flask body. The neck 23 should be relatively long also to permit a suitable handle 35 to be mounted on the neck at a position to extend outward beyond the rim of the brewing receptacle 20 when the flask is inverted in the receptacle. The neck 23 furthermore should be of relatively large diameter to provide a relatively large filtering area for rapid transfer of infusion into the flask. Finally, the neck 23 shouldf be l both relatively long and relatively large in diameter to provide substantial capacity for liquid storage below the body of the inverted flask whereby the initial flow of the hot infusion into the inverted flask remains below the level of the flask body and therefore does not reverse or appreciably retard the condensation of steam in the flask body at the outset of the transfer flow. I t will be understood, of course,- that none of these specific features of configuration is essential in all practices of the invention.

When the flask is inserted in the receptacle as shown in Figs, 1 and 5, coffee grounds and dregs tend to cling to the immersed surfaces,

hence the desirability of a. cylindrical shield such as provided by the filter unit 24, the shield with the adhering solids being removed from the flask after the brewing period. The filter unit 24, then, is in effect a combined shield and filter means, the principal elements being a cylindrical shell 36 and a suitable filter member 31 spanning one end of the cylindrical shell.- Preferably, the filter member 31 isa piece of glass cloth, but any type of filter means may be employed.-v The filter unit may also be regarded as a removable extension of the flask since in effect it increases the length of the flask neck and provides a mouth for and passage to the flask.

trapped in the manner indicated by mouth ofthe inverted flask after equilibrium is I .20er otherwise providespacedelevations in the receptaclev bottom to support the inverted flask.

For example'as indicated in ll'imA `l a. series of radially disposed rlbsll may be formed by ofi setting upwardly portions of thebettom of the re- 4'ceptacle llwhere'by' the rim o! the' filter may form with the receptacle' bottom a series ofpamages for inward radial flow.- f

Y 'when' thermal: Ywith tne'macned filter umtsI is removed from the'brewing receptacle alter the. liquid transfer to the flask, the filter-unit retains s mm lf-residue, buttneneek or the naar is both clean and dry. The filter unit may be'cleaned by a 'simple drenchi'ng operationy and the flask. has

diameter to. receive a removable filter assembly 'HL- The filter assembly lli may bea comple-l menta'ry ring of sheet metal formed to the configuration `shown to clamp the" margin of a circular filterV member H2. l'I'hemannerin which the form. of apparatus shown in Fig, 11 is to be employed in practicing the process does not require detailedcxplanation in view of previous discussion.

1o, Fm.v 12 discloses hows simplified une unit generally i designated' 'Ii l may be employed with the previously described flask 2i instead of the first-mentionedfilter unit 24. The filter-unit ill comprises a rubber 4bushing Hi shaped and lo dimensioned .to be' removably, inserted in the] i mouth of the flask 2i inthe manner `of a stopper. The. margin 0f u filter member II'I :is embedded inthe body or the rubber bushing'.

In practice the steam-engendered vacuum in such a' large neck that the usual difficulties of 90 the um often persistsagter the nquid-isdmwn we wish to can atteiiuon .te the compntenessi with `which the use of our apparatus andthe t practice of our method 8.9910501128 the. ideal 26 filter units is to provide a cam action for septechnique of coffee-making. We make possible greater control of brewing time by virtue of the abrupt inception of infusion and greater rapidity of withdrawal of the infusion from the. grounds' than in any device of comparable capacity known coffee than in any other device of comparable capacity with which Vwe are familiar by virtue of the large area of filter. the utilization of a pressure differential for accelerating filtration, and

. the highly efficient production of this differential. .Moreoven we believe that the'process of inverting our vessel, produces new and useful results in that'it allowsl for ease and'safety of'manipula-e tion and simplicity of structure in vacuum-type coffee-making apparatus not, to'our knowledge, heretofore achieved. u

` As previously noted the filter unit employed in the form of our invention illustrated in my. z

6 may beregarded as a removable extension of the flask. 2|,.the extension providing'a'mouth for thefiask and' a fluid. f: se into the" flask.

' The met that the filter runit may' se regarded in this light is emphasized-by the mocation designated 83 is ifi effect a removable neck for ailask ll.

Attire mouth ef me naar esta@ rim 'ss is flared 4to provide an external annularsroove 9| of arcuate cross-sectional configuration which is embraoedby a metal collar tl having a rubber filter unit 93 in engagement 4with the flask M in a manner to place the facing ring Il! under sealing pressure, a metal skirt Il) may be secured to the cylindrical body Ill by :suitable rivets N5' and provided with bayonet slots, illto cooperate with complementary bayonet studs ill' Lon the metal collar-Il.` Inthe particular `construction shown the upper endportion illf upward into the flask from the brewing receptacle because coifee grounds andsediment tend. to seal the interstices of the filter'. member. One purpose of the bayonet slots in the previously described hole lili through the rubber bushing Hl and a l 3o plug |20 removably inserted thereinl are provided to us. We facilitate greater control of .temperto permit the final vacuum to be destroyed prior to removal ci the filter unit HL The plug ill` normally seais the vent hole III but ls with-A drawn after the flask is removed from the brew- 35 ing 4receptacle and returned to upright disposition. n

The combination shown in Fig. 12'is employed in. substantially the same manner as the other forms of our invention. It. may be employed 40 withnearly any type of brewing receptacle since the *nim |29 of the filter-'unit is cut away to provide recesses lzlthat serve as fluidl channels into the flask when, the flask vis placed up-sidedown on the bottom of a brewing receptacle.Y di The only disadvantage of this simplified com' bination is the minor one that it -is necessary f to' wipe-adhering matter 'from vthe neck of the flask when the flask is removed from the brewingreceptacle.

@u Weghavedescribed our preferred method yand -ourr' preferred apparatus for -performing the method in specific-detail for the purpose of dis- 4closure and to illustrate the principles-involved.

. It will readily occur-to those skilled in the art,

shown in'Fig. 11 in which a' filter unit severally 5s that both the procedure and the apparatus may be widely modified without departing from our f" inventive concept. For example. an alternative I procedure for use ofthe apparatus described would be:

gg l. Place nieasure'ed amount of water-` in brewing receptacle and place brewing receptacle on heat inguunit.

-2. Place enough water'in ask to cover its Abottom, attach filter unit,jand bring water in flask- 1 65 toa'boil over anotherheating'unit.

`gasket against the flask rim Il. To hold the 3. When water in brewing receptacle has come to desired temperature, place a measured .amount of ground' coffee inbrewing receptacle andagitate to insure complete mixture of grounds with 7d water. 1

tacle, -allowing'innision to be drawn into. l

5. Re-invert flask-and removefilter-unit. Alsof the metal cylinder Ill is Preferably reduced in il it isapparent that the cylindricalshleld isnot 4.4 When` .elected brewing `period has. elapsed, invert flask and filter unit into brewing recep- As best shown in Fig. 9, in this form of our invention the cylindrical shell 36 of the filter unit 24 has aninwardly directed annular flange 36 inner ring cooperating with a radial flange 41 of the outer ring 4i and the cylindrical portion 46 of the inner ring cooperating with a cylindrical portion 48 of the outer ring to grip the filter cloth 31. The filter assembly 40 is held together in some suitable manner, for example, by a series f tongues 50 cut in the cylindrical portion 48 of the outer ring 4l and bent upward around the shorter cylindrical portion 46 of the inner ring 42.

Preferably a suitable resilient gasket 5I is included in the filter assembly 40, the gasket resting against the inner surface of the conical portion 43 of the inner ring 42 for pressure against a flared rim 52 formed at the mouth of the flaskv 2 I. It is to be noted that if such a sealing gasket is effective and if the eylindricza enen as is rem-` tively long, the filter unit will not only prevent solids from adhering to the neck 23 of the flask, but will also prevent any contact whatsoever of liquid in the brewing receptacle with the outer surface of the flask neck.

While such a filter unit may be fitted and retained on the flask in anyl suitablemanner, it is desirable that the lter unit be attached in some positive manner and it is further desirable that the filter unit cooperate with the flask to provide effective pressure against the sealing gasket 5i. A feature of this form of our invention is that we provide for the filter unit 24 to cooperate with the flask handle 35 to releasably latch the lindrical portion 46, the radial portion 45 of the 6 23 of the flask with the bayonet slots 55 aligned with complementary bayonet lugs 10 on the handle band 6i. The recess 53 that is cut in the lower end 0f the filter unit clears the band ends 62 by sufficient spacing to permit such; relative rotation between the handle band and the filter unit as may be required to cause the bayonet lugs 10 to ride up th'.` lower` inclined edges 1I of the slots '(Fig, 6) with a cam action that both locks the filter unit to the handle band and pulls the fllter unit downward to place the sealing gasket 5I under pressure. It will be noted in Fig. l that the filter unit handle 56 is sufciently close to the flask handle 35 to enable a person in operating the device to encircle both handles at once with his hand and urge the two handles together scribed engagement.

filter unit to the flask and -to create the desired pressure on the sealing gasket. One manner in which the various parts may be designed for such cooperation may be understood by referring to Figs. 6, 7, 8, and l0. Y

The lower end of the cylindrical shell 36, as

viewed in Figs. 6 and l0, is cut away to provide a relatively large recess 53 and two bayonet' slots 55 dlametrically opposite each other. An outer band 56 attached to the lower end of the shell 36 by suitable rivets 51 to serve as reinforcement is cut away to correspond with the recess 53 and the bayonet slots 55. A radially extending handle 58 is attached to' the lower end of the shell 36 by suitable means such as an embedded screw 60.

To cooperate with the filter unit 24 the flask handle 35 is carried by a band 6l that rotatably embraces the flask at the base of the neck 23. The band 5I may be of split construction to provide a pair of outwardly extending ends 62V that are attached to opposite sides of the handle'35 by suitable bolts 63. In 'the particular construction shown in the drawings the band 6I rotatably seats in a ring 65 that has edge flanges 66 (Fig. 8) to prevent axial movement of the band. The ring 65 may be of split construction to facilitate assembly to the flask and may be provided with a suitable liner 61 of rubber or like material. To form a circumferential seat to hold the ring 65 against axial movement on the flask neck 23, the

flask neck may forman annular shoulder 66.

The filter unit 24 is adapted to slip over the neck in the rotary direction required to cause the de- It is tobe further noted that the operator may subsequently manually' force the two handles 35 and 56 in the opposite relative directions to cause release of the bayonet engagement, the two lugs 1l) riding against the upper inclined edges 12 of the bayonet slots to provide a cam action that serves to force the filter unit upward, thereby breaking the seal. In the operation of our device this cam action is of great advantage in releasing the suction in the flask subsequent to the transfer of the infusion into the flask, thereby allowing immediate removal of the filter.

In carrying out the previously described method represented by Figs. 2 to 5, we contemplate that the filter unit 24 will be placed on the flask neck immediately after the flask is replaced on the burner 21 to heat the residual liquid in the flask. An important advantage of placing the lter unit on the flask well in advance of the removal of the flask from the burner to the inverted position in the receptacle 20 vis that if the filter member spans the mouth o f the flask while steam is being generated by the heating of the residual liquid, the filter member will restrict the outwardA flow of steam and tend to raise the pressure in the flask slightly above atmospheric. Under such conditions with'steam escaping from the flask through numerous minute passages in the lter member, air is effectively displaced from the interior of the flask and at the same time fresh air is prevented from entering the flask. This lparticular -function of the filter unit is of special importance if .the mouth and neck of the flask are relatively large in diameteras shown. It should be further noted in this aspect of the invention that the filter member serves as a barrier to prevent eddies of fresh air from swirling into the neck ofthe flask when the flask is moved bodily from the burner to the inverted filtering position. Once steam starts to condense in the flask, the partial vacuum is vformed rapidly and liquid from the brewing receptacle is quickly transferred to the interior of the flask. The operator may observe the liquid level in the brewing receptacle to judge when the fluid transfer is complete or may wait for violent turbulence in the flask to indicate the completion of the liquid transfer. The violent turbulence is caused by air flow into the flask after the liquid level in the brewing receptacle drops to the mouth of the flask. It is not necessary for the operator ofthe apparatus to watch for the completion of the liquid transfer or to beat the apparatus immediately after such transfer is madebecause the transferred liquid will remain in the inverted flask'indefinitely, a

liquid seal forming automatically to close off the i essential' to the practice ofth'einventicn, and-it is further apparent that any suitable expedientv that properly lie Withinthe scope of our appendscnibed method,'said device comprising: al hollow lbodypshaped and dlmensioned Vfor releasable I 'engagement with saidflask to serve asa base' to support the flask i'n inverted position and to 15 f oim with thenask afluid passage 'into ine-in-` terior Off thefilask; means to form a seal between said body and said ask around'said'fluid,`

passage; and a filter means disposed' across said '2b hollorw4 body. to filter fluid flowing `into said flask; 32. In an apparatus of 'the' class described,` a

device "for engagement with the neck or a ilask leasable telescoping engagement with sad neckl 'of the flask to serve as a base to support the ilask in inverted position;` circular meansef- .fective between said 4bodyand said neck oi the lof` A 1o flask to'fo'rm a `seal around said fluid passage; and a illter means disposed across said hollow body toillter uid owing into-saidfiaskthrough said fluid passage.

3.- In an apparatus for extracting an infusion from steeping solids, the combination of: a flask having a mouth; a hollow body releasably engaging said ilask about said mouth and shaped and y l y dimensioned to serveas a base for supporting the 1. In an Vapparatus of the cla/ss described, a o v device foruse with a flaskl in practicing the deflask-in inverted positiona'nd to formwith t-he ilask a iluid passageinto the interiore! the flask;

lowing into said ask.

4. In an apparatus for extracting an infusionfrom steeping solids, the combination'of: a flask means to form aseal'betweeri saidbody and said flask around .said Iiluid'passage; andA filter means disposed' across said hollow .body to filter-'duid provided'with a neck. having auid passage therethrough; a hollow body releasably engaging said neck in telescopic relation and dimensioned to serve as a base to support the. ilask. in inverted position; circular means veiective between said body and said neck of -the ask to form a seal varound said iiuid passage; and a illter means dis-- posed across said hollow body to illter'lluid 110W-,

ing into said flask through said uid passage.

JUSTIN-'ARNOLD VARNEY. 1 FRED M. VARNEX g .GEORGE VAN BRUNT. 

